Fresh from getting off the grid, Ben Donaldson says he’s excited to return to the rugby field after taking centre stage in a completely different environment to the one he’s familiar with last month.
After experiencing a rollercoaster ride in 2025, which saw the playmaker go from being included in all three Tests against the Lions to missing the end of year Spring Tour, Donaldson went to Vietnam.
It turned out to be just the tonic he needed.
As his Wallabies teammates slipped up in Europe, including falling to Italy three years after Donaldson made his debut during the nation’s historic first defeat to the Azzurri, the 26-year-old ended up directing traffic of a different kind during his holiday in Vietnam.
“My partner Claudia and I were just walking the streets, and I made mention that I used to play the drums and I’d love to jump on the drum set,” Donaldson told The Roar.
“The next night we went for a few drinks, had dinner, and then we were walking back through the main strip and my girlfriend, being the chirpy girl she is, went up to this drummer, who was playing in the band and said, ‘Is there any chance my boyfriend can jump on?’
“Next thing you know, the drummer’s come to me, handed me the sticks and I’ve ended up on the drum kit.
“I was only up there for a minute or two.
“Luckily, I kind of knew the song, which was Come as You Are’ by Nirvana.
“It was a bit of fun.”
Later that week, the Wallabies lost to Italy.
If anyone knew how they might be feeling, it was Donaldson, having missed a conversion on debut, which saw the Wallabies record some unwanted history in 2022.
“Three years ago was a tough one for myself, obviously my debut, but it was still a memorable night, albeit probably for the wrong reasons,” he said.
“I was not in the mix this time, but it was still disappointing for the boys.”
While Donaldson wishes he had been with the Wallabies in November, the maturing back says getting away was the best thing after not being asked to stay behind in Japan following Australia A’s massive win over a Japanese XV in Osaka in late October.
“It was a bit of a frustrating year, especially towards the end of the year,” he said.
“I obviously played Aussie A in Japan, which was an awesome trip.
“I flew back to Sydney and then straight over to Vietnam for two weeks, and it was refreshing. No one knows rugby over there, I didn’t have any foreigners come up to me, which was nice. It was just good to get my head away from footy for a bit, spend time with my partner and just enjoy a different country that I’ve never been to before.”
Why Joe Schmidt fell out of love with Donaldson isn’t necessarily a straightforward question.
The Wallabies outscored the Lions when Donaldson was on the field in the two Tests he played.
It led to the versatile back, who started at fullback in the 2023 World Cup before being shifted to No.10 by Eddie Jones, thinking he was a strong chance to start against South Africa in August, especially after Tom Lynagh’s unfortunate concussion.
It didn’t happen, as Schmidt instead ended James O’Connor’s three-year Test exile. Donaldson was selected on the bench.
But he didn’t make the start line after suffering an injury just minutes before the team was announced.
“I definitely didn’t play my best footy in any of the Lions games or that Fiji Test, where I got a fair few minutes as well,” Donaldson said.
“But in the back of my mind, I did think I was going OK. I came on and we won that Fiji game, came off the bench first Lions Test and we put a few tries on them. And then the third Test came on and we ended up winning the game.
“Although I hadn’t played my best footy, I was still in a good headspace and felt like I was going OK. And leading into South Africa, I kind of thought I might be in the mix to start.
“Obviously, Rabs was there as well and I found out I was on the bench and, to be honest, I was a bit disappointed. But as professional rugby goes, you just get on with it.
“But I was super keen just to be on the bench at Ellis Park, given I’d never played there before. And then I got injured on Thursday in literally the second last rep of training, tore my adductor. From there, I flew back the next day and was straight into rehab for five or six weeks here in Sydney.”
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